With Dwight Howard hitting free agency Monday and teams lining up to pitch the All-Star center, the widespread rumor is that the biggest obstacle to Howard re-signing with the Lakers is coach Mike D'Antoni. Howard has never had a great relationship with D'Antoni, who wants Howard to work more in the pick-and-roll and less in the post, where Howard thinks he belongs.

But ESPN reports on the eve of the start of free agency that Howard is not trying to control the Lakers when it comes to D'Antoni.